Meyer says he talks to his team about its ranking as a way to gauge how far the Buckeyes have come and where they have yet to go. Ohio State (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) is up to No. 8 this week after beating ranked opponents the past two games.

With Ohio State banned from playing in a bowl, being in the Bowl Championship Series picture or even listed in the coaches' poll due to NCAA sanctions, the Associated Press Top 25 offers a bit of incentive for a team with limited time to prove itself.

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